Clip device



Au 19, 1941. DD 2,252,904.

CLIP DEVICE 7 Filed Oct. 3, 1939 g Patented Aug. 19, 1941 CLIP DEVICE John Todd, Lincoln, Mass., assignor to United 'Carr Fastener Corporation, Cambridge, Mass.,

a corporation of Massachusetts Application October a, 1939. Serial No. 297,687 ZClaims. '(cLss-sz) This invention relates to improvements in sheet' metal nut members of the type adapted to be fixed in assembly with a supporting panel so as to enable abolt to be threaded into engagement with the nut member entirely from a position opposite one face of the panel. My nut member is particularly useful in connection with so-called "blind assemblies due to the fact that a boltmember may be threadedinto engagement with the nut without the necessity of an operator holding the nut.

Referring to the drawing, in which I have illustrated preferred embodiments of my invention:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of a nut blank showing dotted lines along which the blank is folded to form the finished product;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the blank shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the completed nut member; 1

Fig. 4 is an end view of the completed nut member lookingfrom the right of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the completed nut member;

Fig. 6 is a top plan view showing my improved nut member assembled with a supporting panel; Fig. 7 is a bottom plan view of the installation shown in Fig. 6;

Fig. 8 is a sectional view taken along the line 8- -8 of Fig. 6 and showing the manner in which a bolt is engaged with the nut member to secure I a plate member to the supporting panel;

Fig. 9 is a top plan view of a modified form of nut member; and I Fig. 10 is a longitudinal sectional view of the nut member shown in Fig. 9.

Referring to Fig. 8, in whichI have illustrated a preferred use of my nut device, I have shown a supporting panel I having a circular opening 2 therein spaced from a marginal edge 3 of the panel. My improved nut member I. is assembled with the panel I over the marginaledge 13 and provides means resiliently engaging opposed surfaces 5 and 6 of the panel I to maintain the nut member in proper relative position. A plate. 1'

which I have shown a blank of the nut member prior to bending the same to form the completed fastener. Thus in Fig. 1 I have shown a blank comprising thearm ll (Fig. 1) having the slot I2 .(Fig. 1) within its marginal edges which defines another arm l3. The arm II of the completed'fa stener.comprises a panel-engaging por-.

tion It and an angularly extendin P0 1 1011 I5 at one end of the panel-engaging portion formed by bending the blank'transversely along the dotted line I6 of Fig. 1. The arm I3 is integrally joined to the angularly extending portion I5 and extends from the portion I5 in the completed and I8 into the portion I5, from which materials was taken to form the arm I3. The arm I 3 and panel-engaging portion I4 are adapted to resiliently engage opposed surfaces 5 and 6 of the supporting panel between them to maintain the clip device in assembly with the supporting panel.

For purposes of clarity in the specification and,

claims I have chosen to refer to the panel-engaging portions according to the relative position of the same shown in the drawing and thus the arm I 3, which is formed from the arm II, will be designated hereinafter as the upper panelengagingportion and the portion the lower 1 panel-engaging portion.

The upper panel-engaging portion I3 has a depressed portion I9' deformed therefrom to engage within the opening 2 of the supporting panel I to center the clip in proper relative position for threaded engagement with the-bolt. The depressed portion I9 preferably has an inclined surface 20 (Fig. 2) forming a cam to effect easy passage of the clip over the edge of the supporting panel when the clip is applied to the panel. It is understood that I do not wish to be limited by the particular shape of the depressed portion I!) as the depressed portion would be capable of satisfactory operation if formed round and of uniform depth. Thepanel-engaging portion I 3 has an opening 2 I with the wall surrounding the opening shaped to form a helix 22 of proper pitch for threaded engagement with the bolt shank Ill. At least a portion of the helix 2 2 is formed from material within the margin of the depressed portion IS with the result that the helix is aligned with the opening 2 of the supporting panel I after the; depressed portion I9 has been moved into engagement with .the opening 2. As a means for effecting easy application of the clip member to the ,sppporting panel I, the angularly extenda 2 g 2,252,904., ing portion- I! has a portion at'its upper end in 1 .the form oi a.v lip 23 which extends above the plane of the panel-engaging Portion l3 and preseats with the angularly extending portion II a smooth, outer surface 24 adapted to be engaged by the finger of hnoperatorduring application tion I! has been snapped into engagement with the opening 2. i

of the 'clip to the panel. The outermost end I! ing portion I4 thereby providing a lead for quick engagement of the clip over th edge 3 of the supporting panel. 1

Assembly of the installation shown in Fig. 1; with the supporting panel may be quickly carried out through moving the clip member over the edge I of the panel as described to engage the depressed portion l9 within the opening 2 of the panel. Nextthe plate member I is moved into superposed relation to the outer surface 8 of the panel so as to present an opening 26 in alignment withthe'opening 2 of the panel. Finally the screw'shank I is moved into the opening and the opening 2 and turned into threaded engagement with the helix v 22 to secure the plate member securely to the panel.

My modified form of clip member shown in Figs. 9 and 10 is similar to my preferred form,

but instead of deforming the helix 22 from the depressed portion l9, as in my first form, I

have chosen to draw a. relatively short shank 21 from the support-engagingportion IS. The shank 21 is internally threaded as at 28 (Fig. 10). The shank 21 extends upwardly from the support-engaging portion l3 and a portion of the shank is formed from material of the depressed portion l9 whereby the threaded bore of the shank is centered in alignment with the opening 2 of the panel when the depressed porof the panel-engaging portion l3 maybe turned a 1 upwardly so as to diverge from the panel-engag- Although I have illustrated and described preferred embodiments of my invention. I do not wish to be limited thereby because the scope of myinvention is best defined by the following claims.

l claim: 1. A fastener clip for attachment to a'supporting panel having an aperture for receiving a threaded member, said clip comprising a pair of arms having portions extending in the same general direction for engaging opposedsurfaces v .of said supporting panel, a. depressed portion deformed from the material of one of said panelapertured supportingpanel, one of said panel-' engaging portions having a depressed portionv formed from the material thereof to engagein theaperture of the panel for maintaining the clip in proper relative position to the panel, and said last-mentioned panel-engaging portion having a hollow shank'drawn therefrom, said shank being internally'threaded and at least a portion of said shank being formed from material within the margin of said depressed portion.

JOHN TODD. 

